Suburban Trends Male Co-Athlete of the year Jordan Tabakman

By Joseph Costello

SPORTS EDITOR |

Suburban Trends

When Major League Baseball held their annual draft last month hopeful college and high schools players nervously anticipated getting "the call."

With "the call" players would be taking one more step to fulfilling every baseball players childhood dream, to make it to the majors and play on fields such as Yankee Stadium in New York and Fenway Park in Boston.

For Jordan Tabakman, the 2010 Suburban Trends Co-Male Athlete of the Year, the dream of playing in such major league parks has already been fulfilled. Last summer Tabakman and his Area Code teammates had the opportunity to play in both parks.

Tabakman labeled the opportunity to play in the two famous parks as an amazing experience, just one of the highlights of one of the most storied high school careers in Pequannock history.

When Tabakman graduated from Pequannock late last month he did so only after winning a state title in baseball as a junior and a sectional championship in basketball last winter not to mention numerous personal feats that mean very little to Tabakman compared to what he accomplished with his teammates.

At the Pequannock graduation students officially turned the page from high schooler's to prospective college students or members of the work force. To the surprise of no one Tabakman had already beaten everyone to the punch as he had started college classes before he even accepted his diploma.

"I have been down here (in North Carolina) taking summer sessions," said Tabakman who will be a member of the Tar Heels baseball team. "(The high school year) ended late because of the construction on the building so I had to fly home for graduation then came back down here."

As many former high school students enjoy one last vacation before entering the "real world" Tabakman is on anything but a vacation but you cannot tell that by the way excited way that he describes his current hectic schedule. "I am here with eight other freshman and we have all become friends. We take the same classes, lift together, go to tutors then throw and hit together. It is great being down here."

Tabakman will stay in North Carolina for a few more weeks before coming home at the end of July for about a month before heading back to Chapel Hill when the fall semester starts.

In the time he has back in Pequannock Tabakman is looking forward to some more time with his friends and family. "I was excited to see everyone when I was home for just three nights for graduation."

Upon his return to New Jersey there is a chance that Tabakman's mind may wander back to the wins and losses he endured as a Panther but there is no doubt that he will think of the friends and teammates he played with at Pequannock. "When we lost in the second round of the states it really hit me that it was over and that I was never going to play with my teammates again but we had a great four years and it will always be great to look back on the state championship. I know that my teammates were always behind me with everything and I always had their backs."

When the MLB draft concluded on June 9 and 1525 picks had been made Tabakman's name had not been called and while that may have surprised many that had watched Tabakman star for Pequannock over the past seasons it did not come as a shock to Tabakman, in fact he had not expected "the call."

"I talked to some scouts and they asked me what it would take to skip UNC and I was straight forward with them that it would have had to been life changing money and I knew that I was not going to get that," said Tabakman. "I think that scared off a few teams."

While not getting drafted might cause disappointment in some players, Tabakman once again proved that he is anything but some player. "It's over, I blew past that," said Tabakman about not being drafted. "It is my dream to come here. I am going to North Carolina and who knows in three or four years hopefully I will experience being drafted. There is nothing better then that."

Suburban Trends Male Co-Athlete of the year Jordan Tabakman

By Joseph Costello

SPORTS EDITOR |

Suburban Trends

When Major League Baseball held their annual draft last month hopeful college and high schools players nervously anticipated getting "the call."

With "the call" players would be taking one more step to fulfilling every baseball players childhood dream, to make it to the majors and play on fields such as Yankee Stadium in New York and Fenway Park in Boston.

For Jordan Tabakman, the 2010 Suburban Trends Co-Male Athlete of the Year, the dream of playing in such major league parks has already been fulfilled. Last summer Tabakman and his Area Code teammates had the opportunity to play in both parks.

Tabakman labeled the opportunity to play in the two famous parks as an amazing experience, just one of the highlights of one of the most storied high school careers in Pequannock history.

When Tabakman graduated from Pequannock late last month he did so only after winning a state title in baseball as a junior and a sectional championship in basketball last winter not to mention numerous personal feats that mean very little to Tabakman compared to what he accomplished with his teammates.

At the Pequannock graduation students officially turned the page from high schooler's to prospective college students or members of the work force. To the surprise of no one Tabakman had already beaten everyone to the punch as he had started college classes before he even accepted his diploma.

"I have been down here (in North Carolina) taking summer sessions," said Tabakman who will be a member of the Tar Heels baseball team. "(The high school year) ended late because of the construction on the building so I had to fly home for graduation then came back down here."

As many former high school students enjoy one last vacation before entering the "real world" Tabakman is on anything but a vacation but you cannot tell that by the way excited way that he describes his current hectic schedule. "I am here with eight other freshman and we have all become friends. We take the same classes, lift together, go to tutors then throw and hit together. It is great being down here."

Tabakman will stay in North Carolina for a few more weeks before coming home at the end of July for about a month before heading back to Chapel Hill when the fall semester starts.

In the time he has back in Pequannock Tabakman is looking forward to some more time with his friends and family. "I was excited to see everyone when I was home for just three nights for graduation."

Upon his return to New Jersey there is a chance that Tabakman's mind may wander back to the wins and losses he endured as a Panther but there is no doubt that he will think of the friends and teammates he played with at Pequannock. "When we lost in the second round of the states it really hit me that it was over and that I was never going to play with my teammates again but we had a great four years and it will always be great to look back on the state championship. I know that my teammates were always behind me with everything and I always had their backs."

When the MLB draft concluded on June 9 and 1525 picks had been made Tabakman's name had not been called and while that may have surprised many that had watched Tabakman star for Pequannock over the past seasons it did not come as a shock to Tabakman, in fact he had not expected "the call."

"I talked to some scouts and they asked me what it would take to skip UNC and I was straight forward with them that it would have had to been life changing money and I knew that I was not going to get that," said Tabakman. "I think that scared off a few teams."

While not getting drafted might cause disappointment in some players, Tabakman once again proved that he is anything but some player. "It's over, I blew past that," said Tabakman about not being drafted. "It is my dream to come here. I am going to North Carolina and who knows in three or four years hopefully I will experience being drafted. There is nothing better then that."